Ski lock



A. N. BOLTE July 7, 1970 SKI LOCK Filed May 27, 1968 INVENTOR. 4/140 M. Ed /Q W, We 1mg,

United States Patent O 3,518,853 SKI LOCK Allen N. Bolte, 8440 Kessler, Overland Park, Kans. 66212 Filed May 27, 1968, Ser. No. 732,166 Int. Cl. Eb 73/00; A63c 11/02 US. Cl. 741-58 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to locking devices and particularly to a novel ski lock.

Brief description of the prior art There have been a number of ski locking devices proposed for skis and ski poles but all have suffered from one or more disadvantages, the most common being failure to insure a positive lock and difficulty in handling. For example, the simple cables with mating and locking end portions which are frequently used as ski locks must be threaded through a portion of the ski bindings on both skis. This operation is cumbersome and does not always provide a secure lock.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of the present invention is to provide a convenient, easily operated and secure lock for skis and ski poles. Briefly, the present invention includes a bracket on each ski and a cable having members which cooperate with the brackets to positively attach each bracket to the cable. The cable is simply placed around a suitable stationary object such as a ski rack. The poles may be locked by placing the cable through the pole straps or brackets. It is desirable to construct the cable and brackets so that in the locked condition the fasteners which secure the brackets to the skis cannot be reached with a conventional tool. In the preferred embodiment, a conventional multi-ring combination lockis employed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a diagrammatical view showing a ski lock constructed according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagrammatical view of the cable employed with the ski lock shown in FIG. 1. FIGS. 3 and 4 are a plan and a side view respectively of one portion of the ski lock shown tively of another portion of the ski lock shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT in FIG. 1. FIGS. 5 and 6 are a plan and side view respec- The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. Two brackets 1'0, 11 are attached to two skis 15, 16 at a convenient location; for most purposes a location just forward of the toe piece is suitable. A cable is positively attached to both brackets 10, 11 and wrapped around a suitable stationary member such as a ski rack 21. The cable 20 passes through the straps of two ski 3,518,853 Patented July 7, 1970 poles 26. The portion of the cable in the bracket 11 in cludes a conventional multi-ring combination lock 30, 31. As will be described in more detail below, when the skis are in a locked condition as illustrated in FIG. 1, the screws which are used to fasten the brackets 10 and 11 to the skis 15, 16 are covered by cable members 30, 40 so that the brackets cannot be removed from the skis 15, 16. Covers 18 are attached to the brackets 10, 11 by cables 19 and are designed to cover the brackets 10, 11 when the lock is not being used. The covers 18 prevent any inconvenience which might result if snow and other materials were allowed to fill the spaces in the brackets 10, 11.

The FIG. 2 shows the unattached cable 20 which the skier will carry when it is not used to lock the skis. Cable 20 is terminated at its two ends with two mating portions 30, 31 of a conventional multi-ring combination lock similar to that used on conventional cable ski locks. The mating portions, which may be attached to the cable in any suitable manner, are shown in more detail in FIGS. 5 and 6 and will be described in more detail below.

Two intermediate members 40, 41 are also suitably secured by conventional means to the cable 20. The member 40 is constructed to cooperate with the bracket 10 as described below. The intermediate member 41 is a cylindrical element designed to fit through a hole 42 in the member 40 and it has an enlarged portion 44 to limit entry into the hole 42. The total length of the cable between the two intermediate members 4 0 and 41 is desirably several feet. The length of cable 28 between the intermediate member 40 and the lock portion 30 is considerably shorter and may be approximately eight inches. The length of cable 29 between the end portion 31 and the intermediate member 41 is about the same. However, the diameter of the length of cable 29 between the portions 31 and 41 is preferably larger than the diameter of the rest of the cable. While the increased diameter of the cable 29 is a preferable feature, it is by no means necessary. Indeed, the intermediate member, while convenient, is not necessary for the operation of the lock.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the bracket 10 is illustrated adjacent to the intermediate member 40. The bracket 10 is desirably a one-piece construction having a fiat central section 50 with screws 51 attaching the bracket 10 to the ski 15. The tops of the screws 51 are flush with, or below, the base of the central portion 50. Two side portions 60 extend upwardly and have two undercut portions 61 adjacent to the flat central section 50. The undercut portions 61 are approximately the same size and shape as two flanges 45 on the member 40. Thus, when the member 40 is inserted into the bracket 10, the flanges 45 register with the undercut sections 61.

The side portions 60 also include two semicircular cuts which extend from the outer sides of the portions 60 into the space above the central section 50. The diameter of the cut portions 70 is slightly greater than the diameter of the member 41 (FIG. 2) and approximately equal to the diameter of the hole 42. The outermost portions 71 of the two out portions 70 are slightly larger in diameter to receive the large portion 44 on the intermediate member 41.

The side portions 60 are joined together at the end which has a small semicircular cut 81 near its top portion.

When the skis are to be locked, the member 40 is inserted into the bracket 10 so that the flanges 45 register with the undercut portions 61 and the hole 42 registers with the semicircular cuts 70. The intermediate member 41 is then inserted through the hole 42 to secure the member 40 in place.

The bracket 11 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is identical to the bracket 10 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The member 30- shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 includes flanges 35 which are the same as the flanges 45 shown in FIG. 3. The member 30 includes a conventional multi-ring combination lock having four rings 91, 92, 93, 94. The combination lock cooperates with a mating member 31 having four notches 95, 96, 97, 98 which co-act with the four rings 91, 92, 93, 94.

The member 30 is inserted into the bracket 11 from the left so that the flanges 35 register with the undercut portions 61 in the bracket 11. The mating member 31 is inserted into the member 30 from the right through the semicircular cut 81. In the locked condition, the surface 99 of the member 31 abuts the end wall 80 of the bracket 11 so that the members 30 and 31 cannot be removed from the bracket 11 unless the combination rings 91, 92, 93, 94 are operated to release them.

As already noted, the skier carries the cable 20 until he is ready to lock the skis. The locking process is briefly as follows. The member 40 is inserted into the bracket so that the flanges 45 register with the undercut portions 61. The portion of the cable 20 intermediate the member 40 and the member 41 is then wrapped around some stationary object, such as a ski rack 21 (FIG. 1), and both the end member 31 and the portion 41 are threaded through the semicircular cut 70 and the hole 42 until the portion 44 contacts the edge of the side member 60. The member 40 cannot now be removed from the bracket 10. The end member 30 is then inserted into the bracket 11 so that the flanges 35 register with the undercut portions 61. Next, the mating member 31 is inserted through the semicircular cut 81 into the member 30 and the rings 91, 92, 93, 94 are rotated to lock the device. The ski poles may, of course, be attached at any portion along the cable 20. It should be noted that while the member 41 is free to move slightly to the left of the bracket 10, the short section of cable between the member 41 and the end piece 31 will prevent the member 40 from being removed from the bracket 10. To further insure that the member 40 cannot be removed from the bracket 10, the portion of cable 29 is made larger in diameter than the remainder of the cable.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, the invention is in no sense limited thereto. The scope of the invention is set forth by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A ski lock for use with a pair of skis comprising first and second brackets secured respectively to the two skis of said pair, a cable adapted to be connected to said brackets, said cable including two mating portions having means for locking the mating portions whereby a loop may be formed by said cable around an object for the purpose of securing the skis, at least one of said brackets having means for rigidly securing both mating portions whereby said cable is securely attached to said bracket when said mating portions are locked together and secured to said bracket.

2. The ski lock of claim 1 further including means for covering said brackets when not in use.

3. The ski lock of claim 1 wherein said cable includes first and second interlocking means intermediate said mating portions, at least one of said .brackets having means for securing said interlocking means to said bracket whereby said cable is securely attached to both bracket means when said-first and second interlocking means are interlocked with each other and with said bracket, means and the mating portions are locked together and secured to the other bracket.

4. The ski lock of claim 3 wherein said first and second interlocking means are located intermediate said mating portions.

5. The ski lock of claim 4 wherein the distance along the cable between each interlocking means and the adjacent mating portion is relatively short compared to the distance between the interlocking means.

6. The ski lock of claim 1 wherein said cable includes interlocking means intermediate said mating portions, at least one of said brackets having means for securing said interlocking means to said bracket whereby said cable is securely attached to both brackets when said interlocking means and bracket means are locked with each other and the mating portions are locked together and secured to the other bracket.

7. The ski lock of claim 6 wherein said interlocking means is located intermediate said mating portions.

8. The ski lock of claim 7 wherein the distance along the cable betweenthe interlocking means and one of the mating portions is relatively short compared to the distance between the mating portions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,091,011 5/1963 Campbell 70-58 X 3,272,526 9/1966 Rumaner 280-1137 3,335,585 8/1967 Stratton 7058 3,354,675 11/1967 Quigg 7058 FOREIGN PATENTS 234,013 6/ 1964 Austria. 1,406,920 6/ 1965 France.

RICHARD E. MOORE, Primary Examiner E. I. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

Patent No.

Dated July 7, 1970 Inventor(s) Col. 1,

Col. 1,

ALLEN N. BOLTE It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

line 50, "brackets" should be --baskets-;

line 61, the following words were omitted and should be added:

"in FIG. 1. FIGS. 5 and 6 are a plan and side view respec-" [This line later misplaced as line 65] Col. 1, omit line 65; and

Col. 4, line 11, remove comma.

SIGNED ANL' SEALED 06'! 13M Mummh Inc-m1. mm, .m. Amdngoffiour Millenn- 0: ram;

FORM PO-1050 (10-69) 

